GB2163713A - Washing apparatus for motor vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

In a washing apparatus for motor vehicles, a portal is provided with two support tracks (3) which are inclined at an angle ( alpha ) of about 2 to 20 DEG relative to the vertical (V), wherein the support tracks (3) are inclined with their lower end away from the vehicle (F) to be washed. Provided on both sides of a washing brush (4) which rotates about a horizontal axis are flexible traction members (10) which provide for adjustment in respect of height of the washing brush (4) relative to the vehicle (F) by means of an electric actuating motor and a control device which is operative in dependence on the contact pressure of the washing brush. Each traction member (10) is connected to a rotary mounting of the washing brush (4) directly or by way of a traction bracket (8). Provided adjacent each rotary mounting is a support roller (15) which lies freely on the associated support track (3) and which can be freely lifted off the support track (3) in the direction (A) of relative movement of the vehicle (F). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Washing apparatus for motor vehicles The invention relates to a washing apparatus for motor vehicles, comprising a portal with respect to which the vehicle to be washed is relatively moved in one direction, a roller-like washing brush which rotates about a horizontal axis, a respective rotary mounting which is provided at each end of the washing brush and which is supported by way of a support roller assembly on a respective support track of the portal, the support track being obliquely inclined with respect to the vertical, wherein the support tracks are inclined with their lower ends away from the vehicle to be washed, and flexible traction members which are provided on both sides of the washing brush and provide for adjustment in respect of height of the washing brush relative to the vehicle by means of an electrical actuating motor and a control device which is operative in dependence on the contact pressure of the washing brush.

In a known washing apparatus of the aboveindicated kind (German laid-open application (DE-OS) No 1 630 646), provided at the exit end of a washing installation is a washing brush which rotates about a horizontal axis and which is mounted and can be moved in the manner described above. The two support tracks are inclined at an angle of 450 relative to the vertical in such a way that they slope away, from top to bottom, in the direction of movement of the vehicle. A substantially Ushaped frame is supported on the support tracks, by the two side limb portions of its U shape-, each.;side limb portion being' supported by way. of -two support-mllers.A further roller which is provided on each side limb portion bears from below against an angular member and prevents the support rollers from lifting off the support track. The rotary mountings of the washing brush are arranged on the side limb portions of the U-shape configuration of the frame. The upper end of each side limp portion of the U-shaped frame is engaged by a flexible traction member in the form of a chain which is taken back to the lower end of the side limb portion of the U-shape by way of a chain wheel provided at the upper end of the support track, and a further chain wheel at the lower end of the support track.The upper chain wheels which are associated with the two traction members are interconnected by a drive shaft; That complicated chain drive arrangement is intended to prevent the frame from tilting during the upward and downward movement. That washing apparatus- suffers above all from the disadvantage that, because the support tracks are greatly inclined with respect to the vertical and because the frame is positively guided on the support tracks, only the roof and the tail of a vehicle can be washed with that one washing brush. Before the washing brush comes into contact with the vehicle, it must be moved into its uppermost position.If that were not done, the washing brush could catch on steeply rising front parts of the vehicle or front parts of the vehicle which are set back in relation thereto, in the region of the bumper, for, during the phase of washing the front part of the vehicle, the brush would be pulled up the inclined support tracks practically in the opposite direction to the direction of movement of the vehicle.

For that reason, the previously known washing apparatus includes a second washing brush which is mounted in a similar fashion to the first washing brush, on inclined support tracks of a portal which is provided at the entry end of the washing installation, except that in this case the support tracks rise from bottom to top in the direction of movement of the vehicle. The second washing brush is provided for washing the front and roof surfaces of the vehicle. As the previously known washing apparatus must include two horizontal washing brushes which are mounted and moved in a similar fashion, it is comparatively expensive to build. Added to that is the fact that a Ushaped frame must be provided for mounting each washing brush.In addition, there is the possibility of damage being done to the washing brush at the entry end of the washing installation, or to the vehicle, at the steeplyrising front parts thereof, for which reason the washing brush at the entry end of the washing installation is connected to an emergency switch for stopping the entire installation, with the emergency switch responding when a predetermined contact pressure at the washing brush is exceeded. However, that gives rise to undesired interruptions in operation.

The invention is based on the problem of providing a washing apparatus of the kind set forth in the opening part of this specifiction, which is distinguished by being of particularly simple design, which permits the front, roof and tail parts of a motor vehicle to be washed with only a single washing brush, and which in that connection avoids damage to the vehicle or to the washing apparatus, without the need for breaks in operation.

According to the invention, that is achieved in that each of the rotary mountings is connected to the associated traction member directly or by way of a traction bracket, in such a way as to hang freely downwardly, and that each roller assembly lies freely on the support track which is inclined at an angle of from about 2 to 200 relative to the vertical and can be freely lifted off the associated support track in the direction of relative movement of the vehicle.

The entire washing apparatus is substantially simplified by virtue of the comparatively slight inclination of the support track relative to the vertical and by virtue of the fact that the roller assembly of the brush can lift off the support track. The front, roof and tail parts of a motor vehicle can be thoroughly washed with only a single horizontal washing brush. Even in the case of front parts of a vehicle which rise sharply or which are possibly set back, damage to the vehicle and also to the washing apparatus is eliminated without the need for breaks in operation of the apparatus, due to emergency shut-down thereof.

More specifically, if, when dealing with front parts of the vehicle which rise sharply or which are also set back, the washing brush is not lifted by the flexible traction members sufficiently quickly under the effect of the actuating motor, the washing brush can move away from the support tracks of the portal in the direction of relative movement of the vehicle, in a similar fashion to a pendulum, without the possibility of damage being inflicted on the vehicle or the washing apparatus. As the washing brush is simultaneously lifted by the flexible traction members, it moves back under the effect of the force of gravity into its nor mal position in which the support roller assembly is supported on the support track, as soon as the washing brush has passed over the steeply rising front part of the vehicle.The construction is still further simplified by virtue of the fact that the support roller assembly can be freely lifted away from the support tracks. In particular, there is no need for a pendulum arm or frame carrying the washing brush. By virtue of the elimination of a frame, there is also no possibility of the frame being tilted during the upward and downward movements of the washing brush, while by virtue of the comparatively slight inclination of the support tracks relative to the vertical, the washing brush is pulled downwardly sufficiently solely by the force of gravity so that complicated chain drives can also be eliminated. The elimination of a large number of individual components means that not only are manufacturing costs reduced, but also the number of components which are subject to wear, and the washing apparatus is also more reliable in operation.Finally, manufacturing costs are also lower by virtue of the fact that, in comparison with positively guided washing brushes, it is possible for the portal and also other construction components to be of a lighter design, as overloading phenomena due to front parts of a vehicle which rise steeply or which are set back relative thereto are excluded from the outset.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are characterised in the subsidiary claims.

The invention is described in greater detail hereinafter by means of an embodimemt illustrated in the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front view of the washing apparatus as considered in the direction of relative movement of the vehicle, and Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section taken along line ll-ll in Fig. 1.

The washing apparatus according to the invention is intended in particular for washing lines in. which the portal 1 is stationary and the motor vehicle F to be washed is moved in the direction of relative movement as indicated by A in Fig. 2, from left to right, by means of a chain conveyor of which only the entrainment roller 2 is illustrated, or possibly also by means of its own drive. The washing apparatus according to the invention could also be used for portal washing installations in which the vehicle is stationary and the portal is moved. The washing apparatus according to the invention provides for washing the front, roof and tail parts of a vehicle. Further washing brushes (not shown) are provided for washing the side surfaces and possibly the underneath of a vehicle.

At the rear, which is away from the vehicle F to be washed, of its two uprights 1a, the portal 1 has respective support tracks 3 which are inclined relative to the vertical V at an acute angle of from about 2 to 20 , preferably about 60. In that respect, the inclination of the support tacks is such that they are inclined with their lower ends away from the vehicle to be washed, or they fall away from top to bottom, in the direction A of relative movement of the vehicle. The arrangement also includes a roller-like washing brush 4 which rotates about a horizontal axis H and whose shaft 4a is rotatably mounted in rotary mountings 5 and 6 at the two ends of the washing brush. An electric drive motor 7 is flangemounted to the rotary mounting 5.A respective traction bracket or stirrup 8 and 9 is connected to each of the two rotary mountings 5 and 6. Each bracket 8, 9 is engaged by a flexible traction member 10, for example a toothed belt. Each traction member 10 is passed over a toothed wheel 12 which is arranged on the common drive shaft 11. The drive shaft 11 is driven by the actuation motor 13 by way of an interposed freewheel 14, similarly as described in German laid-open application (DE-OS) No 25 18 718. A counterweight 17 is suspended at the end of each flexible traction member 10. The actuating motor 13 and the freewheel 14 are of such a design that they can only ever drive the flexible traction members 10 in such a way that the washing brush 4 is lifted. In that arrangement, the actuating motor 13 is controlled by a suitable known control device which cuts the actuating motor 13 in and out in dependence on the contact pressure of the washing brush 4 against the vehicle to be washed. The control device may include a current measuring means, a power measuring means, a rotary speed measuring means, an inclination sensor or the like. The provision of the freewheel means that, if the brush 4 is not bearing against the vehicle or if it is bearing against the vehicle with an insufficient pres sure, the brush 4 can move downwardly even when the actuating motor 13 is stopped.

Also provided at each side of the washing brush 4 is a roller assembly with which the washing'brush 4 bears against the two support tracks 3. In this connection, it is important for the purposes of simplifying the construction of the apparatus that the roller assemblies are directed connected to the rotary mountings 5 and 6, that is to say, without the interposition of a frame or the like. In the advantageous embodiment as illustrated in the drawings, only one respective support roller 15 is provided at each side of the washing brush, adjacent to the respective rotary mounting 5 or 6, as the roller assembly, with the support roller 15 being disposed in coaxial relationship to the axis of rotation H.

It is also important that the roller assembly 5 lies freely on the support track 3 and can be freely lifted away from the associated support track 3 in the direction A of relative movement of the vehicle. The roller assembly and the support tracks 3 are essentially provided to stabilise the movement of the washing brush, by contact of the support rollers 5 against the support tracks 3 under a comparatively low pressure. That support arrangement substantially avoids unintentional pendulum movement of the washing brush about a vertical axis.The angle a at which the support track 3 is inclined with respect to the vertical should also be as small as possible so that an adequate stabilisation effect can just occur and in addition, when washing the tail of a vehicle, the arrangment provides a 'run-after effect' for the washing brush 4, as will be described in greater detail in the description of the mode of operation of the washing apparatus.

The bracket 8 is fixedly connected to the rotary mounting 5 and thus also to the drive motor 7. As can be seen from Fig. 1, the bracket 8 is turned over through a right angle so that its free end 8a moves in the region of the support track 3. When the washing brush 4 is driven in a clockwise direction of rotation as indicated by B in Fig. 2, a counteracting torque acts on the rotary mounting 5 and the actuating motor 7, in the direction C. As long as the washing brush is in an idle mode, that counteracting torque is comparatively low so that the free end 8a of the bracket 8 is at a spacing from the support track 3, as shown in solid lines in Fig. 2.However, as soon as the vehicle F comes into contact with the washing brush 4, the counteracting torque C increases whereby the free end 8a of the bracket 8 bears against the support track 3 and the latter thus also serves at the same time to carry the counteracting torque.

In addition, an inclination switch 18 may be mounted at the other end of the bracket 8a; the switch 18 serves to control the actuating motor 13 and, upon corresponding inclination of the bracket 8 relative to the vertical, switches on the actuating motor 13 and thus causes the washing brush to be lifted by way of the traction members 10.

The mode of operation of the novel washing apparatus is as follows: At the beginning of the washing operation, the vehicle F is in the position shown in Fig. 2 and is advanced in the direction A by the entrainment member 2. The washing brush 4 is in its lower position and hangs freely down on the traction members 10. As a result of its own weight and the inclination of the support tracks 3 relative to the vertical V, it bears with its support rollers 15 against the support tracks 3. When now the front surface of the vehicle F, as the vehicle is moved forward in the direction A, comes into contact with the washing brush 4, it is retarded somewhat and accordingly the counteracting torque in the direction C also increases.As a result, the upper free end 8a of the bracket 8 also moves in the direction C whereby the bracket 8 is more steeply inclined relative to the vertical and thereby also actuates the switch 16. The switch 16 switches on the actuating motor 13 which then lifts the washing brush 4 by way of the traction members 10, until the counteracting torque acting in the direction C and thus also the inclination of the bracket 8 relative to the vertical V are reduced. The switch 16 then switches off the supply of power to the actuating motor 13.

If now the front surface of the vehicle F rises comparatively steeply or also has parts which go back relative to the front of the vehicle, as shown in Fig. 2, it may happen that the actuating motor 13 does not move the washing brush 4 upwardly quickly enough.

However, that is of no relevance in the washing apparatus according to the invention, for, as shown in dash-dotted lines in Fig. 2, the washing brush can be deflected in the direction of movement as indicated by A of the vehicle, with the support rollers 15 being lifted away from the support tracks 3. That therefore avoids damage to the vehicle or the washing apparatus, in a very simple manner; The deflection movement of the washing brush 4 in the direction of movement A of the vehicle has the further effect that the angle of engagement ss with which the traction members 10 engage the brackets 8 and 9 is increased to form the angle fil. The greater that angle is, the smaller is the force component generated in the traction members 10 by the weight of the washing brush and the compo nents connected thereto.As however the counterweight 17 remains at the same weight, the ratio between the counterweight 17 and the abovementioned force component in creases whereby the lifting force of the actuating motor 13 is assisted to a greater degree by the counterweight 17. In that way, the upward movement of the washing brush 4 is accelerated.

As soon as the washing brush 4 has reached the rearward part of the roof, the washing brush can move downwardly again under its own weight, by virtue of the freewheel 14, without the actuating motor 13 having to be driven for that purpose. As the washing brush 4 is supported by its support rollers 15 against the support tracks 3, the washing brush 4 is prevented from being deflected rearwardly and a sufficient contact pressure is also ensured when washing the tail of the vehicle. By virtue of the support tracks 3 being inclined from top to bottom in the direction of movement A of the vehicle, the washing brush 4, as it moves downwardly, also performs an additional movement in the direction of movement A of the vehicle, It thus follows the vehicle, which is referred to as the 'run-after movement'. That ensures that the lower parts of the tail of the vehicle are also thoroughly washed by the horizontal washing brush 4.

While, in the advantageous embodiment illustrated, the flexible traction members 10 engage the two brackets 8 and 9, it would also be possible for the flexible traction members directly to engage the rotary mountings.

Claims (5)

1. A washing apparatus for motor vehicles, comprising a portal with respect to which the vehicle to be washed is relatively moved in one direction, a roller-like washing brush which rotates about a horizontal axis, a respective rotary mounting which is provided at each end of the washing brush and which is supported by way of a support roller assembly on a respective support track of the portal, the support track being obliquely inclined with respect to the vertical, wherein the support tracks are inclined with their lower ends away from the vehicle to be washed, and flexible traction members which are provided on both sides of the washing brush and provide for adjustment in respect of height of the washing brush relative to the vehicle by means of an electrical actuating motor and a control device which is operative in dependence on the contact pressure of the washing brush, characterised in that each of the rotary mountings (5) is connected to the associated traction member (10) directly or by way of a traction bracket (8, 9), in such a way as to hang freely downwardly, and that each roller assembly (15) lies freely on the support track (3) which is inclined at an angle (a) of about 2 to 200 relative to the vertical (V) and can be freely lifted off the associated support track (3) in the direction (A) of relative movement of the vehicle (F).

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the two support tracks (3) are inclined at an angle (a) of about 60 relative to the vertical (V).

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that only one respective support roller (15) is arranged at each side of the washing brush, adjacent to the rotary mounting (5), the respective support roller being in coaxial relationship with the axis of rotation (H) of the washing brush (4).

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 characterised in that the drive motor (7) for the washing brush (4) is connected to a traction bracket (8) and is so formed that its upper end (8a) which is connected to the flexible traction member (10) moves in the region of the support track (3) and bears against the support track (3) under the effect of the counteracting torque acting on the drive motor (7).

5. A washing apparatus for motor vehicles, substantially as described hereinbefore with reference to the accompanying drawings.